Summary

Many people treated for Ebola in West Africa have received bare-bones care in overwhelmed facilities that had few resources, contributing to a case fatality rate (CFR) of about 70%. Of the 20 patients treated in the United States and Europe, only five have died, a CRF of 25%, and the ones who did not recover tended to begin their care at the latest stages of disease. Now, a push is on for what's dubbed Maximum Use of Supportive Care (MUST), which would offer Ebola patients in West Africa the basic life-saving interventions common in wealthier countries. MUST includes intravenous fluids to combat dehydration; balancing of electrolytes; nasogastric tubes for feedings; and medicines to counter diarrhea, vomiting, and secondary infections like bacterial sepsis and malaria. Estimates suggest that MUST would cost no more than $600 per patient.